Industry fears foreign student retreat

THE international education sector fears government plans due this month to boost the welfare of international students will be flawed by insufficient funding.

There are also growing fears that tighter regulations and immigration restrictions are driving students away from Australia.

The industry is frustrated that international students remain excluded from travel concessions in NSW and Victoria.

There is also concern that federal and state governments will make little new money available to boost accommodation and community engagement.

"The education sector is awaiting the release of COAG's (Council of Australian Governments) international student strategy but indications are that the initiatives proposed by COAG are unlikely to be properly funded," said Stephen Connelly, president of the International Education Association Australia.

A spokeswoman for Education Minister Julia Gillard said funds had been set aside for international education.

The Australia Council for Private Education and Training is the latest body to claim that the industry faced a severe downturn given falling visa applications. It says as many as 32,000 jobs could be shed by March 2012, cutting export revenue by $3.6 million.

The government has introduced tighter restrictions on student visas and a mandated increase in the funds students must prove they have to support themselves. The government has also narrowed the list of skills for immigration priority. There are also tighter regulations on education agents.

These changes are aimed at weeding out dodgy colleges which provide courses in areas such as hairdressing and community welfare that were designed solely to give students residency and which have driven much of the sector's recent growth. But while the sector has backed the intention of the changes, it is worried they are being introduced too quickly.

Ms Gillard's spokeswoman said the tighter regulations were needed to ensure the viability of the industry.

"Education providers who have set up their business to serve as an immigration pathway will need to reassess their priorities, but we believe the vast majority are already delivering quality education and will be well placed to continue to do so," she said.


Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/industry-fears-foreign-student-retreat/story-e6frgczf-1225876670821